Zydrate Baby
by AndersenYuki4404
Summary: Graverobber gets Shilo pregnant; both are unsure if it's ethical to bring a baby into their world. Will they make it through? And is someone after the child?
1. Chapter 1

Zydrate Baby

Disclaimer- I do not own Repo! The Genetic Opera or its characters.

Plot Summary- Graverobber gets Shilo pregnant; both are unsure if it's ethical to bring a baby into their world.

Quick note: Hey guys, I know I tend to explore this subject (commitment and babies) a lot for some odd reason, and personally, can't see it ever actually happening. But I started thinking about it and wondered what would happen if it actually happened and tried to write it. I'm trying to do it while keeping everyone character but it's not easy (still will try!). With that in mind, no flames please, constructive criticism welcome as usual. Thanks!

Shilo looked green again. Graverobber may not have noticed if her skin wasn't always pale. Actually, he had noticed the girl acting strange lately. According to her, some of the symptoms of her illness were coming back such as her nausea or fatigue. In the past two years he had known his roommate/ward/semi-girlfriend, she had not once since the few weeks after the opera, been consistently sick in his presence. A flu or cold here, sure, but never for two weeks in a row like she had been.

He was in fact, very surprised to see his 'girlfriend' for lack of better words, still up when he returned home from work that night. "Kid? Don't you have classes or some shit tomorrow?"

She was about to answer when she crinkled her nose. "God, you smell!" He raised an eyebrow as if to subtle remind her of his profession. She realized what she had said and shook her head clear. "Sorry, not sure where that came from…."

"Still feel like crap?" The z-peddler sat down next to her on the couch and extended a make-up covered hand against her face. Though he was never paternal; he did have a certain soft spot for the young girl. He had tried to replace the parts of her life that called for a male role model; but to become anything other than the girl's lover—seemed ridiculous.

She nodded, creating a soothing friction against his hand. Shilo was chilled as usual, but not particularly warm or cold. She seemed completely normal to him. "You feel fine to me."

"Then why do I feel sick?" Shilo asked half-sarcastic, half-whine. Her eyes became wide. "What if my dad's poison is causing this?"

"After two years? Wouldn't it be out of your system by now?" Not that he was the one currently studying pre-med at college.

"Depends on what he used. He could have used a metal, and that can stay in your system for decades." Said the one who was studying medicine. Shilo brushed a hand through her shoulder length hair and sighed. " I called a doctor—she's stopping by the house tomorrow."

"A GeneCo doctor?" He gave her a look; hoping she'd know better than to trust the evil company. He was relieved when Shilo returned his glance with a glare of her own. "Just checking."

"It's that Dr. Kellis I saw the first few months off my dad's poison." Graverobber sighed as he eased himself down next to Shilo.

"Want me around for it?"

"Not really."

"Good." He said, resting his hand on her lap. Graverobber knew better than to be hurt when she laughed. Many women were so high strung and filled with inner resentment. Yet, despite everything the no-longer teen had been through, once he reluctantly agreed to live with the girl, she seemed to warm up once again—becoming happy and at peace at last. Unlike so many other women, Shilo was just good natured and pure. "What time should I retreat?"

"About 4. I'm missing class, but it's the only time she could do it." Shilo quietly said. He traced her jaw line with his free hand and leaned over to kiss her. He licked her lips asking for entranced into her mouth. She pulled away instead, covering her mouth and nose.

"Oh god…" Shilo spilled from the couch and ran across the room to the bathroom. Graverobber watched in amazement. He could only hope that this sickness wouldn't interfere too much with their physical activity.

And he knew full well he was a dick for thinking that.

()

"Ms. Wallace, I think I've determined the cause of your illness." Dr. Kellis said. Shilo lifted herself to a sitting position from her bed. She had to decide to sleep off a particularly bad bout of nausea while waiting for Dr. Kellis to look over the samples she had taken. The unnaturally redheaded, heavy bust, leg-revealing doctor had made Shilo weary at first. The only reason she had decided to trust her was that Dr. Ashlyn Kellis had made the bold move of working on her own (with less pay) rather than for GeneCo. A bet that had paid off despite the woman's obvious attention to surgery trends.

"Did one of the tests turn up something?" She asked nervously. "It's not the poison, is it?"

The red lipstick smile came as a blessing to Shilo. "Don't worry—you're perfectly healthy. You're just exhibiting the usual signs of morning sickness."

Shilo frowned once more. "I- I don't understand."

She understood perfectly well. She just couldn't believe it. Shilo was hoping maybe she had heard Dr. Kellis wrong, or that she had said something she didn't mean.

It was no mistake. "You're pregnant Ms. Wallace. About a month along now. I'm taking some blood samples with me to make sure, but I'm fairly confident you and your baby are in no danger."

Shilo paled; her heart felt like it was racing out her chest. The vile climbed back up her throat as her emotions fought against her body. Shock. Fear. Confusion. It hit her all at once. It was impossible for her to be pregnant. Graverobber had always insisted on birth control because he never wanted to have children. She, having her own issues with parenting to deal with, never once had an immense desire to have a baby.

"Ms. Wallace? Was this, not expected?" Shilo broke out of her shock. She had to wonder how many 20 year olds got pregnant these days. Shilo shook her head slowly while pushing her tears back. She didn't like crying in front of other people—not even Graverobber. The doctor sighed. "Is it something you want to talk about?"

"Not really." Shilo took a deep breath before asking. "Are you sure? I mean, really sure?"

Dr. Kellis gave her a low glare. One that indicated that Shilo was not the first person to ask her that question; but she still took it as an insult.

"It's no mistake, Ms. Wallace." Dr. Kellis tapped her long fingernails against Shilo's dresser. Once the awkward annoyance passed, she walked over and kneeled in front of the young woman. "Shilo—may I call you that? Do you know who the father is?"

She shouldn't have been shocked, but couldn't help the blank moment of disgust that flashed across her face. Kellis smiled gently and shrugged as if to say 'Standard question'. Shilo had read statistics about how an epidemic of children were conceived in a zydrate haze.

Could she bring another child into a world like that? Could she cast the life form growing inside her aside either? The more Shilo thought about it, the sicker she felt. It was so over-whelming, she could barely think straight.

She didn't know what to do once Dr. Kellis left—but one thing was certain. She had to tell Graverobber.

()

He was in the basement sharpening needles when he heard the door open. It was odd considering after he moved in; Shilo had willingly given him the basement. Apparently, her father had kept all his weapons down there; it had simply been too traumatic for her to use as a personal space. Graverobber was more than happy to occupy it as a personal space. As a result, Shilo never came down to visit.

"Hey kid, what are doing down here?"

He could feel her presence, but got no answer. He tried again. "How'd it go?"

Graverobber placed the needle down and turned ready to hear her sarcastic response. His mood took a complete downturn when he saw her.

Shilo's arms were wrapped around herself. She was paler than usual and shaking right down to her knee-high stockings. Her hair was covering her face, which he had learned meant she was trying to hide something. His heart twisted at the idea that she had been right about her father's poison. So much so, he used her true name.

"Shilo? What did the doctor say?" His voice took on a possessive feel. Graverobber stood tall, unintentionally towering over her. "Did that bastard's 'medicine' –- "

She weakly shook her head. He covered his chest with a hand and sighed his relief. "Thank god; Jesus, kid, you know better than to give a old man a heart attack like that." She usually laughed at his jokes about their age different. Instead, she responded with a choked sob. He raised his eyebrow. "Is something else wrong? Come on kid, just tell me."

Carefully, Graverobber reached out and lifted her chin so she'd look him in the eyes. Once her umber brown met his smoldering black, she couldn't contain her tears. Graverobber sighed and tried a different approach. With a half-smile, he jokingly add. "Come on, it's not like you're pregnant or anything, so what is it?"

At first, he tried to smile it off, willing her to do the same. Shilo looked away and sobbed heavier. He frowned, his quick mind seeing the truth. "You're shitting me, right? You're just joking?" He had to ask, even though he knew there was no way she'd be this upset if she were joking.

Shilo shook her head. He released her chin. Graverobber ran a hand through his hair while trying to remain calm. His attempts to control himself exploded into a fury of curses. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! FUCK! How could this happen? I always wrapped!" He looked up from his breakdown. "We were always safe. How the FUCK did this happen?"

Shilo could hardly breathe. Incomprehensible words made their way out. "I…I…Don't know…I can't…"

A large gasp almost sent her to the ground. Graverobber caught her just before she hit the ground. Contrary to his nature, he put his own opinions on hold for her sake. The z-peddler lifted her into his arms, holding her close as he carried her up the stairs.

He sat down and held her in his lap. One hand ran down her back to calm her, the other holding her head against his chest. The information weighed down on him though and he had to wonder if it was just karma coming back to haunt him. It shouldn't have surprised him. After all, how many women had he slept with even if Shilo was the only one within the past year and a half? Hell, Graverobber should have had a liter of kids by now if justice truly existed.

But of all the girls—why her? It wasn't that he thought Shilo would be a bad mother. She, after all, was 100 times more maternal than the whores he had rocked before her, and had twice the potential in her little finger alone. That being said, the 20 year old was just a kid herself. He, at very least was in his early thirties, but she barely knew what it was like to be an adult. She never had a childhood, but now because of his carelessness, she was expected to give someone else one?

Shilo managed to calm down after holding on to him for a while. Once he was sure it was safe, he asked her. "What are you gonna do?" Her hand fisted up in his shirt. Graverobber tensed. "No, no…fuck… What I mean is, are you going to keep it?"

She relaxed again once he clarified. Shilo buried her face in his chest. "I…I don't know. What do you want to do?"

Graverobber groaned. "Shit, I don't know, kid. I'm not the one who has to get fat and carry it for the better part of a year. And I'm not the one who has to 'have the procedure' if you decide you don't want it. So, it's up to you."

"As afraid as I am to be a mom; I don't think I can go through with an abortion …" His arms tensed around her and she broke down into sobs once more. "But that's what you want me to do, isn't it?"

He groaned. "It doesn't really matter now, does it?"

"Of course it does!" Shilo released his shirt and her fist came down on his chest once. Barely hard enough for him to feel it. "It's your baby too…"

He could have cringed when she said that. Graverobber knew he should have felt bad for taking the news so hard. It wasn't hard to understand however—he didn't like kids, he didn't much care for other people, and frankly, Shilo was the only person in the world he gave a damn about it. So, part of him did wanted to be the reassuring male presence in this whole dynamic.

He just couldn't see it, though. When he saw a family, two images entered his head. His own dysfunctional family—a drunken, bat-shit crazy mom and a mostly absent father, and the vision of a quaint little family walking through the park together (sadly, his family was more common now a days than the one he saw as a small child). Graverobber couldn't put himself in either scenario. He just **couldn't** see himself as a father.

The solution seemed simple to him. This world was too screwy to ethically bring a child into. Not when the non-existent father was the most common one. It wasn't a role he wanted to fulfill nor did he truly think Shilo wanted to be a mother. For some reason, the words 'Just do it, kid' couldn't leave his lips. Because deep in his rotting sub-conscious, he knew no matter what they did it, it'd be worse for her.

Shilo wiped the tears from her eyes. "I don't know…I need to think about it…."

With a sigh, he responded. "I think we both need to think, kid." Graverobber gently lifted Shilo off his lap to the seat beside him. He stood up and had to fight to stay up. This house, while large in size, was making him claustrophobic. How in the hell he could be so when he spent endless hours hiding in dumpsters and digging up deep graves, he couldn't say.

All he knew he had to get out. He had to think too. Graverobber grabbed his coat off the chair and looked back at Shilo. "I gotta go work, okay? You gonna be alright by yourself, kid?"

Shilo nodded slowly but was starting to get annoyed. Should she be surprised that the moment something like this occurs, he couldn't leave fast enough? No. What was between them was never meant to be permanent—it was by the grace of god that Graverobber had remained loyal to her for over a year. But she barely knew what they were. He never called her 'love' or 'girlfriend', and he never said he loved her. Part of her was always relieved because love had always justified causing her harm (at least, that's she had been made to believe in the past). But now, she wasn't sure if she could have a baby that wasn't created out of love.

She could go on without him. She just hoped she wouldn't have to.

_**Hey again guys, just wanted to say I apologize if Shilo seems a bit out of character this chapter (I swear, won't be like this the whole story, just the initial part). This probably the kind of scenario that'd have them both out of character, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless! **_


	2. Chapter 2

Zydrate Baby

Disclaimer- I do not own Repo! The Genetic Opera or its characters.

Plot Summary- Graverobber gets Shilo pregnant; both are unsure if it's ethical to bring a baby into their world.

"Come on man, just one hit! You know I'm good for it!"

Graverobber's eyes could have started the addict on fire. Brenn, Brogan…Whatever his name was, the peddler didn't care if it was a regular costumer. He was ten-seconds away from striking the next zydrate addict who pissed him off.

"Word to the wise." Graverobber said as he threw his bag over his shoulder. He didn't have the patience for these addicts tonight. "Pay up or leave me the fuck alone!"

He hated people. Hated dealing with them. Not having to deal with their stupidity was just one of the many perks of working with the dead. That's why he had worked so hard to build a world that fit only to his needs and personality. When he just didn't care, it made it easier to tell an ailing person to back off. Made it easy to walk out on the last piece of ass for a new one. So when in the past year or so, had he become so soft?

The kid made him so. He should have been mad at her. _That's stupid_, Graverobber sighed. He couldn't blame Shilo for anything. He was smart enough to realize that things like this just happened. Sure, you could control how many surgeries you had or whether or not you became a drug dealer, but you couldn't control the people who impact you or what might come from those relationships. Shilo had been an unexpected breath of fresh air in an otherwise dead world. She wasn't carved like a statue or plastic like a toy. She was more like the Virgin Mary. He laughed because that would make him god.

But now he wasn't god. His world revolved someone else and soon enough it'd be two. Provided Shilo chose not to get an abortion, which didn't look likely. Another option was simply to leave Shilo and go back to living in his dumpster or worse his 'house'—unappealing but no responsibility.

The idea went away as soon as he was over the graveyard fence. Oddly enough, it didn't cross his mind seriously again even as he started collecting zydrate.

Hypothetically, let's assume he didn't love Shilo (even if that was only because he didn't believe in the concept). He was extremely attached to her. She trusted him as a guide to this world, and it was endearing that she did. She had shown him more loyalty in just the first few days he knew her, than he had ever known in his entire life. This was despite knowing that he had slept with countless women, stole from the dead, and had taken advantage of a teenage girl. Graverobber, of his own admissions, had done some messed up things in his life, and he was capable of doing more. But betraying Shilo was just unfathomable in his mind.

"You lucky bastard." He murmured to the dead corpse, and then proceeded to drive a needle into his brain.

_Poor kid, imagine telling all his friends that daddy's a drug dealer. _The idea did lighten his mood a tiny bit. It would be hilarious to see the look on a teachers face when his kid told her that his father jacked up sluts for a living.

Then, his mood turned sour again. He realized there was a very real possibility of that actually happening. And even his cruel sense of humor couldn't appreciate it.

()

**The table was cold. Everything was. Her breath was shallow. Even her hair felt dead. Shilo couldn't even call for help. It took all of her strength just to keep breathing.**

"**Marni! Marni!" Shilo closed her eyes so as to hide from the voice. Her father's hands grasped onto her arms and shook her lightly. "Dear god, Marni!"**

**She wanted to scream. Her dad was calling her by her mom's name. Even in death, he held on to that obsession. Not that she could tell him the truth. Shilo couldn't speak. **

**Suddenly, a sharp pain dug into her lower stomach. She arched her back and mouthed a scream. The pain spread like jolts of electricity through her. Every muscle tensed as fought against the agony. Then in mere moments, the pain was over and a crying sound was heard. Shilo gasped loudly in rejoice—then widened her eyes at the idea of being able to make noise.**

**Her body was no longer held in place. She could move. Shilo carefully pushed herself up, expecting to see her crying baby.**

**Instead, she was face to face with a fully clothed repo man. Her reflection was visible in his visor. He held a knife just inches away from her face. Shilo's mouth dropped. The baby was still crying.**

**She finally grew the courage to speak. "Dad?"**

**And he responded by plunging the knife into her throat.**

Shilo's eyes flew open as she startled awake. "Kid? You alright?"

She was in her bed. Warm and safe. She glanced up to the bathroom where Graverobber watched her—confused, but thankfully, home. _Must have just gotten home_, Shilo noticed. She heard the running shower and noticed his shirt was hanging over his shoulder. His face still made-up as to protect his identity (which he now only revealed to Shilo).

"I think so." Shilo sat up slowly. There was no repo man. Thank god for small miracles. "You came back?"

Graverobber shot her a bemused look. "I live here."

"I thought maybe you'd trick some scalpel slut into sleeping her place, or you'd skip town." Shilo didn't really believe it. She expected it, but didn't believe he'd do it.

And he knew better than to be mad she thought he would. "So, let me get this straight. There are wanted posters of me all over the city, but you think I'd skip town because of some fucking kid? Give me a little credit."

"Believe it or not, I'm actually flattered." She said. Graverobber shrugged and returned to the bathroom but left the door open. Shilo pulled the blankets over her and laid back down. Her mind still partly focused on the dream. She didn't tell him about it—she didn't understand it so he probably wouldn't be of much help. "I'm still not sure what I'm going to do, you know."

"I know."

"I might decide to…have the surgery." The words were spoken carefully, as if to be kept secret from the small life growing inside her. "Or, I might decide to have the baby."

There was a long pause before he repeated himself. "I know."

"And you're still going to stay?" Shilo asked, more confused than upset. There wasn't an immediate answer. After a few minutes, the water stopped and after a few more, Graverobber emerged with nothing but a towel around his neck. He had been less than modest about his nudity even before he and Shilo slept together..

"Look, kid, I'm not going to lie to you and say that I'm happy. Hell, I'd rather spend the rest of life in a crypt than follow around a tiny-shitting machine." _Poetic as usual_, Shilo sarcastically thought. "But hey, like or not, I did this to you. I may be a heartless son of a bitch, but I'm not gonna leave you to clean up the mess alone."

Shilo groaned. Graverobber rolled his eyes impatiently. He left, he was an unfeeling bastard; he stayed, he was still an unfeeling bastard. She knew how he was, so shouldn't she have been happy he was still there? Even if his forth coming was less than desirable?

She explained her frustrations. "It's not just a mess, Graves. This is life-alternating stuff here. We're not in this for 9 months or 18 years. It's a lifetime. Whether I have the kid or not, the fact that we know it exists has to mean something to us both."

"Shilo, I know!" Graverobber repeated in a low tone. He knew she was right to give him this speech; he had to hear it. He just hated being lectured. He calmed himself and sat on the edge of the bed. "Come on, Shi. I've had a hell of a day. We both have. Can we just—I don't know, not talk it anymore tonight?"

She didn't know if she could let it go after the dream she had just had, but nodded anyway. Shilo didn't believe in avoiding problems or pretending they weren't there (after all, hadn't her dad done that to her for seventeen years?). That being said, she was shocked Graverobber hadn't high-tailed himself out of her home and didn't want to punish him by shoving baby stuff down his throat. Anyway, she agreed that talking about it only caused more stress.

Graverobber climbed under the covers and reached out for Shilo. His hands landed on her back and he pulled her against his body. She didn't think it was possible for her to go back to sleep but after a few minutes, her eyes became heavy lidded. It was surprisingly easy to push today's discovery out of her head when she just closed her eyes and willed it away.

The z-peddler was tired too but managed to ask. "Hey kid?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you really think I was going to leave?"

Her hand, which now lay on his chest, tensed at the question. How to say it without offending him? "Can you blame me?"

With a defeated sigh, he answered. "Nope."

()

The baby wasn't brought up for a few days. Those days were filled with agonizing tension. Shilo could barely focus on her schoolwork while Graverobber seemed to bury himself in his work. This didn't so much create a space between them as it did create a mutual misery between the two.

After three days of this, Shilo couldn't deal with it anymore. She had to make a choice. "I made an appointment at GeneCo."

Graverobber was barely awake when Shilo had dropped that bombshell on him. They hadn't talked much about the baby, or anything for that matter. Sure, they made small talk here and there, and would sometimes catch one another in deep thought, but nothing ever came out of these moments. It was as if both were trying (and failing) to resume normal life. The only intimacy left between them was the late night/early morning embraces as they slept.

Once the impact of the words hit him, he immediately growled. "And why would you do that? What about that one doctor?"

"Dr. Kellis?" Shilo asked while flipping through her medical textbook. "Dr. Kellis can take care of me if I have the baby but…she can't perform the alternative."

Bombshell number two. "Did you decide to have the abortion?" He asked perhaps a little too hopefully for her liking. Shilo sighed and closed her textbook. She was reading about what happened during an abortion. The thought made her sick, but mechanics and morals aside, she thought she was capable.

"I still haven't decided. This is a consultation." Shilo murmured. Putting her annoyance aside, she continued. "You know how I said I didn't want you around for the Doctors appointment?"

"Uh-huh."

"Well…I was hoping you could go with me to this." Shilo whispered. "You know, in case we need to make an escape. You're pretty good at that."

The truth was Shilo was afraid to go alone. She would be even if she wasn't Shilo Wallace. Even if she didn't have to hide under a mountain of make-up and clothing to throw off the press; GeneCo was still a dangerous place to be. Their goal was to manipulate their clients into buying surgeries they didn't need, so they couldn't afford the payments on the surgery they did need and the organs could be taken back. As far as GeneCo was concerned, there was no moral code. They'd rip her to shreds in a minute just as they had done to Mag and her father. Graverobber could easily see through their manipulation and lies because, well, he was a good liar himself.

Part of her also just plain wanted him there.

"You know that they're looking for me right?" He reminded her gently.

"Just don't wear your make-up. You look completely different without it. Come on Graves, please?" Shilo didn't use her child-like charms to guilt him. She held a serious adult look so he could see how much it meant to her. "I can't do it alone."

He rolled his eyes and waved his hand. For her not being his girlfriend, he sure was whipped. "Fine. Fine. I'll go."

()

Despite selling Zydrate for so long, he never felt the need to ask what procedures his costumers were getting. Being a Z-dealer didn't exactly call for a lot of bullshit and small talk with his customers. That being said, he shouldn't have been surprised to see so many of his regulars hanging out in the GeneCo Hospital Ward. He was shocked however that Shilo was right; not one of them recognized him.

Actually, he wasn't sure whom he looked like. Shilo (who had offered him some of her father's old clothes and even an old pair of his glasses) insisted he looked like a bleeding heart artist and Shilo (wearing white make-up, heavy eye shadow and keeping the hood on her sweat jacket up) his gothic muse. They should have felt nervous in the disguises but it was actually comforting to be able to laugh over what they truly weren't. Also, Graverobber was use to life-threatening situations, while Shilo simply trusted Graverobber.

"Ms. Smith, I presume?" The doctor said when he finally walked into the uncomfortable room they had been put in. The doctor was almost nothing like Dr. Kellis. He walked in with a gentern hanging off his arm and a cocky attitude that immediately pissed Graverobber off. He had seen some pretty terrible surgical work before but this guy took the cake. His face was unnaturally proportioned to his features, making the couple wonder if people had told him he looked good or if he had insisted on keeping up with the modern fashions despite the end result. Shilo squirmed uncomfortably on the medical bed while Graverobber kept close watch from the corner. "I'm Dr. Wilson… And, is this your father?"

Graverobber narrowed his eyes. Shilo interjected before their cover was blown. "No, this is the baby's father. Mr. Smith."

Dr. Wilson switched his look back and forth between them and shrugged. He pulled a chair over to sit in front of Shilo. The gentern stood idly on the side and looked pretty. She kept making suggestive looks at Graverobber. Whether she thought he was familiar, or just wanted to fuck him, he couldn't be certain.

He was too distracted by the way Dr. Wilson just placed his hands wherever he pleased. The doctor started by cupping both sides of her face. "So, how far along are you?"

Shilo tried to pull out of his reach, but he moved his hands down to her neck. "Um, about a month according to my Doctor. I just…I don't think I'm ready to be a mom."

"Mhm." Dr. Wilson's hands started going lower. Graverobber made a low dangerous sound just as he was about to touch her breast. The doctor didn't even look back. "Problem, Mr. Smith?"

"I don't see why you have your hands all over her. She's already been check by her **real** doctor." Dr. Wilson glared over his shoulder at Graverobber. Shilo used the distraction to remove the doctor's hands from her body, which made him face her once more.

"I'm just seeing what other surgical options Ms. Smith needs so we could try and work out a package."

"Package?" Shilo repeated.

"Yes, most women who need abortions also consider breast-augmentation or a tummy tuck to hide signs of previous pregnancy. I would definitely recommend a breast-augmentation, though in this case, maybe implants. Perhaps a nose job while we're at it."

Shilo looked like she was about to vomit, and it wasn't because of the morning sickness. "No! I don't want to change the way I look! I just…I want to know if this is right for me."

Dr. Wilson sighed. "Well, Ms. Smith…I assure you an abortion is a very standard procedure."

"How standard?"

"Probably one of our most popular surgeries." Graverobber cringed along with Shilo. He certainly was doing him any favors. "See, women of today's standards don't have the time to raise a family, and GeneCo believes that choice is very—"

Shilo cut off his obviously rehearsed speech. "But if it's so standard why are you trying to hide it with plastic surgery?"

_Go, kid_ Graverobber could have laughed. Shilo could see through his act, though he had a feeling any zydrate slut could. Maybe they were just too high to actually hear the doctor.

Dr. Wilson smiled, despite the obvious discomfort between them. "Ms. Smith, a woman like you has such potential—are you really going to let a baby and your appearance pull you down for the sake of proving me wrong?"

Shilo glowed red. She was about to go off when Graverobber did. "Hey buddy, she said she didn't want your god damn surgery. How about instead of making her feel like shit, you do your actual job?"

A domino effect seemed to be happening, as Dr. Wilson lost his patience as well. "Perhaps you should wait outside. You're not helping the situation. Melinda, would you please escort him out?"

"He's not going anywhere." Shilo practically growled. The gentern tried to place a hand on Graverobber. He pulled away from her grip and glared her down.

"Fuck off—both of you. I'm not going to let you treat her like one of your drone, bimbo patients. Come on, kid, let's get out of here!" Shilo, shocked by his outburst and words, jumped from the table and quickly over to Graverobber.

The doctor panicked as they walked towards the door. "Come now, we can work this out. I didn't mean to insult you, Ms. Smith…" One of his hands grabbed her upper arm and just like that, all the pressure, the stress, the anger—Graverobber released it by delivering a punch to Dr. Wilson's face.

The gentern screamed as the doctor stumbled back. Graverobber's survival instincts took over as he pulled Shilo away with a murmured 'fuck'. They went running down the halls and towards the fire escapes. They would escape no problem, but Graverobber realized now he had revealed himself to the only company that could take care of this pregnancy problem.

The only thing that made him feel better was how pissed GeneCo's CEO (his former fling) would be if she knew who had just escaped from her building.

Just want to take a moment and say thanks for the very supportive reviews thus far. Always means a lot to hear that people like a story. Hopefully, it continues to please, thanks again :)


	3. Chapter 3

Zydrate Baby

Disclaimer- I do not own Repo! The Genetic Opera or its characters.

Plot Summary- Graverobber gets Shilo pregnant; both are unsure if it's ethical to bring a baby into their world.

As soon as they hit the ally way not far from the GeneCo medical ward, Shilo knelt down on her hands and knees. Her baby didn't seem to very much like the idea of its mother running and was making it's discomfort known.

"You alright?" Graverobber asked. Shilo shoulders shook. Her throat clenched as it tried to force the vomit down. She hadn't felt this terrible since being weaned off her father's 'medication'. "Look, we'll get you home and have that one doctor check you out, okay? She can tell us where to go and…"

Shilo started coughing violently and crawled over to a nearby trashcan. She pulled herself up and vomited in the trashcan. That battle was lost, now she had to fight the dizziness. Graverobber, feeling guilty he had lost his cool and made the girl run, walked over and pulled her hair away from her face.

If she wasn't so busy throwing up, Shilo might have started sobbing. After reading about the procedure in her book, she tried to see like any other surgery. The logical part of her could understand how the situation wasn't easy to begin with and how in a way, it was unfair of her to bring a child in this messed up world. But hearing Dr. Wilson so easily cast her feelings aside as well as that of the life that she felt inside; Shilo didn't feel like they were on the same side. Despite the doctor's numerous insults to her, Shilo was upset that he had threatened her baby and seemed not to care.

The choice was clear then. No matter how unhappy or unprepared she was, she couldn't bring herself to terminate the pregnancy.

After she finished vomiting, she whispered. "I want it, Graves."

"What was that, hun?"

"I said I want the baby." Shilo stood up tall, if wobbly and faced the shocedk drug dealer. "That doctor—he pissed me off, but it was because he was so cold about the situation. I realized that I just can't do it. I have to have the baby. With or without you. I'm…I'm sorry."

Shilo's voice cracked with the last word. Tears pooled at her eyes and Graverobber could see just how much this tormented her. For the first time in years, he could feel his heart breaking. Whether that was for her, or his former lifestyle, it didn't matter now.

"Let's just go home, okay kid?" He wrapped an arm around her so he could help her get home.

()

"The fucker broke my goddamn nose!" Dr. Wilson whined to Amber. She was less than interested in how one of her least favorite doctors had finally gotten taken down a notch. If he hadn't stomped in her office threatening to sue the company (and if Luigi hadn't, unfortunately, been absent from the office) she wouldn't have even entertained him.

_It was a shitty nose job at best anyway_, Amber sneered. "So have a surgeon fix it."

"The security around here is shit, Amber. Those psychos got out of here before the guards could even be bothered. I've never seen freaks like those two…"

"Mhm." Amber was at her limit. She was getting ready to throw Dr. Wilson out when he said something that caught her attention.

"The girl looked like she never had a surgery before. Features were too sharp, breasts were too small. And the guy—fucking prick. Probably twice her age too."

"Twice?" Amber repeated. She veiled her face to cover the thoughtful/angry expression. "Were they rich?"

"They didn't look it." The Wilson answered cautiously. "Guy had long hair, odd color too. Could have been tri-colored, his hair was pulled back so it's hard to say. The girl, shit all I could see was her face but she was all made up. She seemed familiar. They went by Smith but I think that was just a cover-up since they were there for an abortion."

Amber didn't move from her desk, her heel tapped against the side. Dr. Wilson became scared; this was never a good sign. This was usually the way Amber Sweet was right before she fed someone to her crazy brother.

She touched a button on her wrist-phone. "Pavi, have one a surgeon fix Dr. Wilson's nose—"

"But-a sister…"

"And have one of the genterns, whatever one you're not fucking, send the previous two hours of security video of exam room –"

"499" He whispered under her glare.

"499 to my computer. And no, it can't wait. It needs to happen now!" Amber switched off her wrist-phone and turned to her computer. "We're done here. Unless you want to take it up with Luigi."

"N-no, that's perfectly alright. Thank you, Ms. Sweet for handling this. Thank you." Dr. Wilson backed out of the room like a frightened dog. Amber waited for the gentern to transfer the video.

It came up about ten minutes later. She rewound the video until see got a clear shot of the couple. She hit play and backed-up her chair as the hologram extended from the computer screen.

Without the make-up and with the glasses, he was convincing. He might have fooled anyone else but Amber could never forget his face, even if she was high most of the time she saw him.

And if she wasn't mistaken, it was little Shilo Wallace he was with. It was hard to see with her hood up, but there was only one person in this entire city who had 'never had a surgery'. Besides, she had heard somewhere on the streets Graverobber had warmed up to that little ragdoll.

She smirked. An abortion? So he had knocked little Shilo up? The jealousy that turned inside was only matched by the pleasure of knowing how much he must have hated what was happening. She hadn't seen him since the night he spurned her for Shilo once and for all. Her heart didn't break; but her ego did.

But, somewhere inside, part of her would have liked to have been the one to trap him. Not that she actually wanted to be pregnant (the idea of being fat was enough to make her sick) but rather the idea that he would forever be in her grasp and there for, could never reject her. A little weight would be worth that.

It didn't surprise her Graverobber had escaped Wilson's grasp. But Amber wondered if he could escape the dread of fatherhood, or her taunting for that matter.

She'd have to see.

()

"Ms. Wallace?" Dr. Kellis rang from outside the gates. Graverobber pressed the button to open them up and opened the front door for her. The doctor stepped in like a swan in mid-flight. She startled when she saw Graverobber. "And you might be?"

"A friend." Graverobber said simply. Dr. Kellis eyed the exhausted Shilo sitting on the couch, curiously. The young girl nodded. _Yeah, that's him._

Dr. Kellis checked Shilo over as she explained what had happened tonight. Graverobber stayed for the first half before exiting with a mumbled excuse before Shilo could say. "So…I didn't have the abortion. And—I'm glad I didn't."

"So, you've decided to have the baby then?" Dr. Kellis said while checking Shilo's blood pressure. "And you're 'friend' is less than pleased about it?"

"Neither of us are. I wish this hadn't happened and I still don't want to be a mom. I just don't see another option if I don't want an abortion." The device beeped and Dr. Kellis's eyes widened.

"Your blood pressure's low. It's a bit early in your pregnancy for that to be happening" Dr. Kellis detached Shilo from the small monitor and placed it back in her purse. She took out a small note pad and started writing. "I want you home for a few days. No school, no strenuous work, and certainly no running around GeneCo. I'm writing a note for your professor to explain your absence for the next few days, but considering your health problems and choice in this matter—I'd highly recommend taking a semester or two off after you finish this one."

Shilo cursed silently. She had about a month and a half left this semester, and had been working hard to get ahead of her classmates. Now, all of the sudden, she had to let herself fall behind.

"Also, I'll be sending some prenatal vitamins and a few other medications you might need. You'll be fine Shilo, but it's not enough to say 'I'm having this baby'—you have to mean it. Take care of yourself, and try and be happy about it. Being miserable will screw both you and the baby up."

Dr. Kellis cleared her throat and stood. "Now, just rest…I'll leave the rest of the directions with your 'friend'. Remember—"

"Yeah, yeah." Shilo sighed, but smiled. "No running around GeneCo anymore."

The older woman smiled back. "And get that crap off your face—you're too pretty for it."

Shilo curled up on the couch and closed her eyes. She still felt terribly sick, still felt a bit of pain. And she had learned long ago sleep was the best deterrent to pain.

Dr. Kellis entered the kitchen where Graverobber was very slowly picking at a sandwich. It wasn't even half eaten.

"Is she going to be okay?"

"She'll be fine, Graverobber."

Graverobber looked up; his eyebrows furrowed. He was completely speechless. Was she a friend? Or a foe? "They called me Ashes back then. You probably don't remember, but I was one of your regulars."

Friend it would appear.

"You don't say? Fantastic." Graverobber said in a low voice. "I guess I fucked you too?"

"Not that I can remember, but that was a long time ago. I think you were just starting then. I haven't used Z since Mag made me quit."

"Right, you knew Mag too?" Graverobber asked in an amused tone. Dr. Kellis nodded.

"I did. I was her personal doctor. How do you think I came to know Shilo? It was her last wish that I look after her medically, if possible, because she didn't trust any of the other doctors." Dr. Kellis took a deep breath and leaned against the wall. "So now, because of that promise, I have to ask. Was Shilo one of your _customers_, or does that poor girl think you're someone you're not?"

The accusation didn't offend him; it did however, piss him off. "Listen _Ashes_, you have no idea what's going on here."

"Do you have any idea what she's been through?" Dr. Kellis heels stomped across the tile as one long fingernail directed itself at his face. "Now she has to carry a baby fathered by a known man-whore, and she doesn't have a clue that you're gonna high-tail it out as soon as you possibly can!"

"I'm not leaving Shilo. And she's worried enough about it, so don't say things like that and scare her shitless!" Graverobber eyes glared right through her. The look was one Dr. Kellis had never seen from him. She had seen him turned on, angry, indifferent, and maybe even sad. This look was different—she couldn't say what it was, but she lowered her finger.

"You better mean it. The next 8 months are gonna be hell on her, so I'm making it hell on you too. For starters, no more stress. No going to GeneCo, and if your sleeping with another women you better damn well make sure she never finds out. And she's decided she's having a baby, so even if you can't stand the idea, smile through your damn teeth and deal with it. Secondly, I'm still waiting for blood test results, but…"

"But?" Dr. Kellis bit her lip.

"If Mr. Wallace's poison is still somehow in her body, it could be a huge problem. I've seen cases where a toxin has entered a person's system and they never know until something like this happens and it makes their body weak." Dr. Kellis crossed her arms and shot him a sympathetic look. Had he made an emotion even he wasn't aware of? "We're walking on pins and needles here, Graverobber. Whether you like it or not, she's having the baby. So you have a choice; either step up and be a dad, or get out her life now when she can survive the pain. I'll be sending her medicine."

Dr. Kellis left. And he was stuck somewhere between feeling nervous, and feeling like an asshole.

()

Another few days had passed. Shilo was still feeling weak, but her attitude was changing slightly. She was less than glowing, but she no longer felt that it was the end of the world.

Graverobber, however, was more miserable than ever. He simply was good at lying about it. He was glad Shilo was showing some improvement, but was angry she was starting to show a tiny bit in the stomach (at least he swore she was). The only refuge he could find was in his job.

And even that was about to change.

"Well, well…Mr. Smith was it?" Leather-clad boots tapped against the pavement and stopped suddenly. Amber Sweet put her hands on her waist, and a smile crossed her face. Graverobber busied himself with his zydrate gun.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He said simply. Pity, she had expected more of a fight out of him. She didn't like this defeated Graverobber.

"So, what's the matter, Graves? Got tired of fucking little girls, so you decided to knock her up and make her a natural woman?"

"Like you, Sweet?" And there he was, boxing gloves on once more. He liked feeling Amber's glare to the back of his head. He missed stepping on her toes. "What are you doing here, anyway? Just to rub it in my face?"

"That and…" Amber moved the sides of her coat aside and revealed one blemish free leg—as well as her lacy lingerie. "Was wondering if you wanted to give me a hit for good old times."

Graverobber narrowed his eyes, even if his mouth watered a bit. "You can refer to our last meeting for the answer to that question."

Amber chuckled. "Does Preggo even know about that?"

"What's there to say? You started a fight with me because I told your skank-ass, sex was no longer a payment option? Yeah, I'm sure she'll be awfully disappointed in me. " A woman with money hanging between her fingers slowly walked over. Graverobber loaded his gun. "Now, buy a hit or get out of here."

Amber stood straight, but had a smug arrogance about her. "Believe me Graves, after a few months; you're gonna get tired of playing hubby to that fat, pregnant cow. And once that happens my skank-ass is gonna look a whole lot better."

Amber turned and walked away one heel at a time. Graverobber pushed her from his mind and focus on delivering his Z. He wasn't in any hurry because Shilo would be long asleep before he got home, and she'd be the only reason for him to go home.

()

**The hall wall was dark. Shilo had to feel ahead just to maneuver through. The only thing truly guiding her through was the loud screams of a crying baby.**

**Shilo hummed quietly. She tried to keep herself calm but was ill prepared to face this reality. As of yesterday, a decision hadn't been made about the baby, now all the sudden it was here?**

**The crying lead her to room, not so dissimilar to her bedroom. There was a bluish glow seeping between the cracks. Shilo swallowed her fear and pushed against the door. She could hardly believe her eyes.**

**It was her mother. Not actually her mother, but rather, a hologram-disassembled version of her. One not so different from the vision Mag had shown her the night of the Opera. Her mom sang softly but couldn't be heard over the tiny, weeping baby in her arms.**

**Shilo couldn't explain it, but a fury grew inside her. She didn't like that Marni was holding her baby. "Let me see the baby." Shilo said. Her mother didn't even raise her head. She continued to sing softly to the small bundle. "He's just crying more, let me see him!"**

**Shilo stomped over and snatched the baby from her mother's arms. The baby stopped crying instantly. The victory was so sweet; Shilo couldn't help but smile.**

**She looked back up only to find that her mother was gone. A repo man looked down on her, his eyes cold behind his visor. **

**His hands reached out and grasped around her throat. The air was being squeezed out of her and all she could do was hold on to her baby.**

**Shilo barely choked out. "Stop…Dad."**

Shilo was jarred slightly awake by a hard shake. She could only smell the rustic smell of dirt and see the glow of his make-up. Why was he carrying her?

"Hey kid, sorry to wake you." He murmured softly and continued to climb the stairs. Shilo leaned her head back to escape the dizzy sleepiness.

"Where was I?"

"On the couch with your book open and a pen in your mouth. If nothing else, the imagery was nice." Graverobber laughed at the way she nuzzled her head against his chest. After being at the opera and now carrying his seed, how could she still be so innocent looking?

"Graves?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"Are you mad at me? For wanting the baby?" Not that it made much of a difference now. She still had to know.

He frowned while managing to push open the bedroom door with his foot. "No. I'm not mad at you. I'm mad myself for doing this to you."

Shilo smiled, which made him smile a little bit. He laid her on the bed carefully. "If I recall—the sex was consensual."

"And how." Graverobber chuckled, watching as she drifted back into sleep. He leaned over to kiss her forehead. He was such a sap for her; the annoying kind too. Why couldn't he just sleep with Amber like he use to? Why was he here playing guardian to her?

It was unexplainable. And he wouldn't have done it for any other woman.


	4. Chapter 4

Zydrate Baby

Disclaimer- I do not own Repo! The Genetic Opera or its characters.

Plot Summary- Graverobber gets Shilo pregnant; both are unsure if it's ethical to bring a baby into their world.

Quick note: To save on confusion—_**bold-italic**_ indicates a dream, while simply _italic_ indicates a memory. Thanks!

Shilo hated taking pills, but she didn't think it'd be so difficult to take the pills Dr. Kellis sent her. Her hands seemed to shake every time she held them and her mouth simply refused to move or swallow when she got around to taking them. She knew that her body was naturally fighting what it now knew made her sick for so many years, but the reaction was surprising anyway.

She still felt sick when she was allowed to go back to school. Shilo forced herself to go none-the-less, knowing she couldn't afford to fail this class since she'd have to take two semesters off afterward. By the time she finished finals, she'd be three months pregnant, and it'd be difficult to hide the pregnancy then. Difficult, but not impossible.

So now she faced another choice; after she got out of school, should she go back into seclusion for the duration of her pregnancy? Or let it be worldwide news?

Neither option appealed to her.

"Well, we can't very well hide the kid once it's born. Someone's gonna find out sooner or later unless we follow you're dad's footsteps." That comment earned him a glare from Shilo, though he did have a point. "It's not a problem right now, so don't worry about it so much."

"I guess it's not." She sighed, leaning back in her chair. He'd be leaving soon, and she'd be left alone to ponder in her thoughts. Like how she was going to raise this child, and how she'd have to one day explain that its grandfather was a repo-man and his father is a drug dealer.

The only clear decision she could make was that she would never lie to her child. Not for its benefit and certainly not for it's harm. Her father had tried to justify his lies and manipulation; and maybe he wasn't evil like she thought he was. But the fact still remained that her father had stolen seventeen years of her life that she would never get back. She couldn't see doing that to her worst enemy, let alone her son or daughter.

It had been nearly two weeks since the GeneCo incident. Her stomach was growing and so was his agitation. Shilo tried to sympathize because he was, in all fairness, trying to make the best of the situation. She just hadn't expected him to grow so dreary so early on. It almost made her wonder how bad he would be by the end of it all.

Graverobber hadn't meant to put so much pressure on her, especially after Dr. Kellis had warned him about the poison that may or may not be in her system. All that concern was for Shilo alone, and not his so-called child.

He knew he was a terrible person for thinking that way. But that was even tolerable compared to the deeper cause to his grumpiness. The fact that he cared so much about what happened to Shilo. He knew what he was from a young age—from his younger years with a uncaring mother, to today, when just talking about this baby was enough to drive him insane. He was always calm, cool, and collected. No one stopping him from moving on. Shilo, well, any time he thought of the possibility of losing her, it was hard to stay apathetic.

These feelings of need (for better lack of words) were keeping him in this fairy-tale hell, and were really starting to get on his nerves.

Going to work was like remember how they met. The attraction was there, though hidden beneath the veil of chaos and innocence. There was something very forbidden about watching seventeen-year-old girl chase a bug that kept him intrigued. Even more interesting, was showing her the vial of zydrate, and seeing her not look at it, but rather the dramatics he was performing. It was as if, for the first time in his life, someone had noticed the vendor instead of the product.

Was that one instance that made him keep saving her? That made him come back?

()

_GRAVEROBBER SIGHTED IN GRAVEYARD_

_Fuck. He thought, just as the blue fluid of Zydrate began to gather into the vile. The glow reflecting off his face even as red sirens flickered inside the tomb, almost creating a blinding effect. Graverobber pulled the needle out of his latest provider—Nathan Wallace._

_It had been a bad idea to come to this grave, this night. Contrary to his adventurous nature, he agreed with that. But it was to resist a waiting body filled with fresh Zydrate. No matter whom the person was. Although, it wasn't off his radar that with all the events and news going on; Zydrate from the now known assassin was bound to draw high amounts of cash. _

_There was banging on the tomb door, as Graverobber closed Nathan's coffin. He cursed; there was no way he could get past them. He was trapped, no way out. He'd be executed on the spot._

_His eyes turned to the back of the tomb and found a saving grace: a dues ex machine. It was door, cracked open. Without another thought, he ran to it, busting it and running down the hall._

_Shilo was startled by the noise. The first real thing about this world that had awoken her from her numb coma. She didn't even know what day it was—only that she had ceased to live at all._

_When she was awake, she either spent her time eating what little was left in the kitchen or laying out on the couch, sleeping or trying to make sense of what had happened. The most she had moved was to the shower to scrub her father's blood away from her until she bleeding her own and then to change into clean clothing every now again. Other than that, wouldn't go upstairs to where her former prison; nor would she go downstairs to her father's laboratory of death. It didn't matter though—in the end everything reminded her of what had happened; and by extension, everything made her cry._

_The noise occurred again—this time louder than the first time. Shilo sat up on the couch, glancing towards the basement door, where her father hid the doorway to her mother's tomb. Her mind played with what could have happened. She hadn't dared go down the hallway since her father's demise…mostly because that particular doorway led to the tomb where he was now placed along with her rightfully returned mother._

_Had someone erupted her father's grave? Perhaps to exact revenge against him? She could hardly blame someone for doing so. After all, the man she had once thought to be over-protective and all adoring turned out to be a ruthless murderer. But what would that person do if they stumbled upon her? Alone and vulnerable in this house?_

_She may not have had much to live for; but she still wanted to live._

"_Damn…" Was all he could say when entered the basement of the Repo Man. It was like a torture chamber—the walls were lined with blood crusted weapons and photos of average looking people; most of them with a giant x marked over their face. He closed and locked the door behind him, choosing this place over the threatening doom surely coming behind him. _

_He tripped despite taking careful steps. He looked down and saw the decomposing body of a GenCop. Graverobber in his line of work hadn't even noticed the stench. The only reason he grimaced was because of the blade sticking clear out his neck. Stepping over the body, he made a note of perhaps coming back later to collect some Zydrate once he shook the living GenCops. _

_Graverobber climbed the stairs, keeping the door in sight. He had an idea of what stood on the other side. A different kind of death entirely. The remnants of a broken home, built on nothing but lies and pain. It reminded him too much of his own upbringing, but the this door was his only way to freedom._

_He reached out and grabbed the knob, turning it slowly and pushing the door open. It swung open and he stepped through it. Graverobber was shocked by just how normal the little room looked even in the dark of night. The only real light that gave off, was the picture of the beautiful woman—who look eerily familiar to the kid he had met not long ago. It made sense, from what he understood, she was her mother._

_The kid. He hadn't even seen her since then. Not in person anyway. He had seen pictures, heard news reports, he knew practically the entire world was looking for Shilo Wallace, but he was the only one who was worried about her beyond GeneCo. He didn't know her very well, but he was probably the only person in the world she knew, and when she had upped and disappeared (the only comment she made being that she didn't want GeneCo), he was more concerned to where she was at, as opposed to what she would do next. _

_Crash!_

_Graverobber fell over, broken shards of vase strewed around him. He groaned and grasped onto his head. After the adrenaline wore off, she saw the tress of oddly colored long hair and frowned. It couldn't be. Could it?_

_She flipped the man over and gasped. "Graverobber?" _

"_Kid?"_

"Kid? I'll be home later."

"Okay." Shilo muttered as Graverobber walked down to the basement so he could use the passageway. When left alone, Shilo allowed a hand to rest on her stomach. At this point, she wasn't sure what to think of her coming arrival. There was defiantly some feeling swirling in her heart, but she for the life of her, couldn't pick it out. It didn't feel like the deep, undying love she thought most mothers should felt. Was something wrong with her?

Was she incapable of feeling love? Shilo's fingers walked across her stomach. Did she even know what love was? Her father had screwed her up in that sense. For her, love had always been the need to protect by any means necessary. By ignoring things like personal space, or imposing your will on someone. Yes, she had loved her father like a daughter was supposed to love their parent, but when it came to the idea of creating and picking love, while, she was out of it.

Graverobber to her was a completely different man. He was more hands-off with his approach towards her. He didn't force her to like him but rather did so naturally. Did she love him? She certainly cared for him more than most people. In her mind, she knew that she very much liked the idea of spending the rest of her life with that man, but had a hard time conveying it into those three words.

And if she couldn't do it for him, how could she be sure she could do it for a child?

Shilo sighed. Graverobber didn't seem offended that she had never said she loved him. He hadn't the words to her after all. She was ridiculously bothered by that. Even if she had said the words, should she have expected any different? The closest he had ever got to them were…

"_Do you need some help, kid?" Graverobber asked later that night. Shilo had insisted he stay the night so she could make sure he was alright after she had hit him in the head. Tears gathered in her eyes._

"_I don't know." She heaved a heavy sob and Graverobber sighed. Half-annoyed, half-sympathetic. "I don't even know where to begin…The media is hounding me, Amber's trying to call, and every surface in this place reminds me of my dad. And all I can do is cry because…I don't know what to do about it."_

"_Shit kid, I asked if you needed some help, I didn't ask for your life-story." Although, by this point everyone pretty much knew it. The sight of this teenaged girl, all alone with no one to call on. Well, he didn't he had a heart to break, but it weighed heavy on him. So few things did, and most of those things were better left untouched. This case, he made an exception. "What I mean is. It sucks, but it's said and done. You're just gonna have to work on it one thing at a time. Is there something that bugs you more than anything else?"_

_Shilo wiped the tears from her eyes and thought for a moment. Out of all the things on her mind, the heaviest was her house. If she didn't lose it from not being able to pay the bills, she couldn't live there because of the memories. "Tomorrow, if you're feeling up to it, could you maybe take the bars off the windows?"_

"_I could probably figure it out."_

"_And, after that, clear out my dad's bedroom? Help me clean out mine too?" The hopeful tone in her voice was too great to ignore. Despite his nature, he answered._

"_Sure, kid. We'll do it tomorrow."_

()

_Graverobber had never been handy. Quick on his feet, sure. Inventive when the situation called for it, definitely. Handy? Not quite. _

_He flicked his finger against the bars, making his hand vibrate. Shilo watched curiously from the sidelines. It was just nice to see something other than anguish from her. "I don't suppose your dad had any like, power saws did he?"_

_Shilo had a blank look on her face. She didn't know? How is that possible? "Not even a little hand-held saw? Or, hell, a knife would even work at this point."_

_She nestled one foot against the other. Seriously? Did she even know what any of these things were? Was she really that sheltered?_

_Then, he felt like a dick when she answered quietly. "If he did, they're in the basement."_

_He grimaced when he realized that Shilo knew where her father had kept all his little killing and torture devices. Maybe had gone poking around after his death and had found the rotting corpse (her father had somehow found a way to conceal the scents of death from the rest of the house, so maybe she didn't know that little fact). He grinded his teeth as he remembered exactly why he stopped offering help to other people. One little thing tended to grow into a lot of different things._

"_Alright, I guess just add clearing the basement out to the list." _

"_Why bother?" She responded matter-of-fact like. "I'm never going down there again."_

"_Well, how do you think you're going to pay me back for all that work, kid?" He teased carefully. Shilo did crack a small smile. "I'd say a good start is letting me use that passage way. Be a hell of a lot easier than sneaking in the front of the graveyard. I'll clean it out myself if I have to."_

_Shilo thought about it for a moment. "I guess that's okay…You could even use the basement for work if you want."_

_After that, he ventured down and did, in fact, find a blood stained electric saw. He sliced all of the bars from the windows. When he was finished, he wanted to boost to Shilo, who was no longer in sight. He found her upstairs, starting to clean up her room, so deep in her thoughts, she hadn't noticed him._

_He watched as she tore things off her wall, pushed medical equipment away from her bed, and sort through clothes that were obviously not her size. Graverobber would notice every now and then, her wrist-phone would remind her to take her medicine. She simply shut it off and proceeded as normal. He could see Shilo growing tired and more weak, sometimes stumbling as she walked. But she never stopped working._

"_Hey kid, why don't you take a rest?" Shilo shook her head and kept working. He tried commanding her and she just ignored him. She was getting pale and sweaty, but still insisted on working._

_So, rather than tell her to stop, he started helping her to get the job done faster. _

()

He found himself late in the night unconsciously walking. It would be morning soon but couldn't make himself return home. Graverobber still had too much on his mind, too much plaguing him.

He was walking by the pier, and knew he wasn't far from that place. It wouldn't have been so bad to drop in but decided against it and instead watched out in the distance. He had grown impartial to the ocean. Previous experiences had ruined it for him and reminded him of people better left forgotten. Sometimes, for whatever reason, he came back to it, perhaps if only because he was feeling a bit homesick.

Maybe because the pain this place brought was more tolerable than the pain he was feeling now.

In the distance, loud laughter could be heard. He noticed something he would have never given the time of day before. Two children, a boy and a girl (or maybe a boy with really long hair) were running about the beach while their mother (at least he could assume that's who she was) was lying in the sand passed out. Judging by how much fun they were having, this was a normal occurrence.

The scene was laughable in a sadistic way. It was also soul-crushing—the very reason he didn't want to be a father. This world didn't care for it's children like they once did. Fashion and selfishness took priority. What's worse; blood didn't make people care. It didn't matter if you had someone to suffer with. In the end, you were all alone in this dark world.

He didn't want to be the woman who stirred slightly before waking. Just so she could yell 'Shut the fuck up!' at her kids. Whatever joy the brother and sister had, was sucked out of them as they treaded to a stop.

Graverobber had seen enough. He felt the sudden desire to return home. To be where someone cared rather than just dealt with him as a problem.

That seemed to be his mantra lately. Only for Shilo.


End file.
